Mumia Abu Jamal: Recent Developments and the Continuing Significance of the Case to the African American Community.

Welcome to another edition of "On the Block," a radio show that looks critically at the United States criminal justice system.

On today’s show, in light of recent serious developments in the case of Mumia Abu Jamal, an African American journalist who has been sitting in prison for almost three decades for a crime many believe he did not commit, we will listen to an interview with Pam Africa, of the International Concerned Friends and Family of Mumia Abu Jamal.

On Tuesday, September 21st, the The United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit announced its decision to grant oral arguments on the issue of whether Mumia Abu Jamal will continue to sit on death row, or be granted a new jury trial on the question of his death sentence. The arguments will be made before a three-judge panel to be held on November 9, 2010, 2:00 pm in the Ceremonial Courtroom, U.S. Courthouse, 6th & Market Streets, in Philadelphia.

This is significant to the ongoing struggle to save Mumia Abu Jamal's life and win the case for Mumia's exoneration. Previously, Mumia had won a new sentencing hearing, but earlier this year, the U.S. Supreme Court changed its decision and ordered that the case be again reviewed by the federal court. After some months, the US Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit has announced its decision to grant a new sentencing hearing for Mumia Abu Jamal.

Pam Africa.
Another critical development for the movement to free Mumia Abu Jamal--a negative one--was the recent signing of a memorandum by factions of the United States anti-death penalty movement to distance the movement from Mumia's case.
In an interview conducted by JR Valrey, Pam Africa, chairperson of the International Concerned Friends and Family of Mumia Abu Jamal, discusses that recent move and its significance.

M1 of the Dead Prez.
We will also listen to an an excerpt of an interview with M1 of the hip hop group The Dead Prez about the continuing significance of Mumia Abu Jamal's case to the African American community. The interview was conducted by JR Valrey of POCC Block Report Radio.

The HRC and Secret Surveillance by the Pennsylvania Office of Homeland Security via the Institute for Terrorism Research and Response (ITRR).
The Human Rights Coalition, in its Pennsylvania Prison Report--a regular feature of "On The Block Radio"--discusses the recent discovery that the organization was the focus of scrutiny by the Institute for Terrorism Research and Response (ITRR), an organization contracted by the Pennsylvania Office of Homeland Security to identify and document threats to national security in the United States.

All that coming up on On the Block Radio.

Special thanks to Andy of the Human Rights Coalition and JR Valrey of POCC Block Report Radio. For more information about the Human Rights Coalition, check out their website at www.hrcoalition.org. Block Report Radio podcasts can be found at www.blockreportradio.com.